The Exchange Student, the Pop Prince and the Raffle Tickets

Chapter Twenty Five: The Simple Plan

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Lauren =D 

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• Chapter Twenty Five

"You're not going to go are you? I don't think that's a good idea... Ede? Eden!" 

"I've got to go..." 

"No, you don't. It's too hard. All those memories, are you sure you want to go back?" 

"It's Bindi." 

The same conversation replayed in my head over and over on that ten hour flight to America. 

All I wanted was to leave the last year and a half behind me and now I was going back. My treasure box was to be opened.

"Do you need anything?" 

"No thanks, Rebecca, I'm okay." 

She placed a comforting hand on my shoulder and went off to help another passenger her long mahogany hair placed neatly underneath her red cap complete with a red jacket, bow, skirt and a white shirt. It made her look really pasty looking even with the fake tan she loved to use. Joe was always complaining about his bed sheets having rubbed off fake tan all over them when he came round. I watched Rebecca move past me placing another hand on my shoulder giving me a lovely smile making her dark green eyes sparkle. She had been great with me over the last two days. I had to take out money from mum's savings account that was supposed to be for me to go over to Spain and see her and Matt. She was going to go ballistic when she found out. 

Dad and Lily were completely understanding at me leaving. I hadn't even told them the full story just that I had to go back to America to help find Bindi. If Lily hadn't been with dad, I don't think I would have left. They were completely in love, still in their honeymoon stage, but still, in love nevertheless.  

I rested a tired head on my hands. All I had wanted when I returned was to put all the memories behind me and be a better, more focused person. I had done little good and lots of bad living there.  

Why was I going back to put myself back into that mess? Was I going back to do a good thing? If we weren't thousands of miles high into the clouds I think I would have leapt out of the fire escape. I was doubting myself. I was doubting every fibre of my body for going back. 

What was I doing?

* 

No going back now.  

I was here. 

On the plane, Rebecca told me the very simple plan: Find Bindi, go home. We're nice and polite to the Moretto family - it was weird hearing their surname - but nothing more.

Unfortunately though, I had to tell the family I was here. 

Kristin had emailed me details of when and where the family met to search for Bindi. I could have been fine, looking for her on my own with a map and a torch but Kristin insisted that I met with the family first, even if for a few minutes. 

Kristin had emailed Jesse to expect me to arrive in America in the next week but said not to get his hopes up of me coming at all. He had emailed back the details of where they met, when and even added he would be joining the search for if I turned up. 

I got out of the cab, having checked into a hotel within my price range and hailed a cab over to that house that I used to call my own. 

It bought a smile to my face at first when they didn't recognize me. My long hair had been cut short to a long bob, I had grown a little and my body was slimmer. No more was the catchy t-shirts and jeans, my new and improved wardrobe was more of a suitable twenty year olds and, with more makeup. I walked casually to the small gathering of people outside the house, waiting patiently for someone to take notice but they were handing out flyers and a checklist of where they had searched previously.  

I took a painful look at the house. It hurt my whole body to think about what went on in that house and how it ended in such anger. 

"Fuck, Eden!" Sarah suddenly noticed me and ran towards me. Swearing really didn't suit her.  

When her smell and body crushed against mine I didn't know if I should embrace it or push her off for what happened. After all, she had let me miscarry her grandchild. I pulled back a little. 

Sarah pulled back rubbing my shoulders, tears rimming her blue-grey eyes. She always did look like her son.  

"If I could take it back, I would in a heartbeat. I would. Please, please, forgive me.' Sarah wiped away the stray tears falling down her face falling into a whisper. "I think she still hasn't forgiven me." 

Joseph then grabbed me pulling me into another hug whispering he had prayed for the day I returned. 

Please don't cry, I begged myself.

They left me when someone asked them a question about the search about to happen any minute. They said they would come back so they could 'talk,' but I wanted to be away from them by the time they returned so that didn't happen. 

"I am so glad you came." Came a deep sexy voice which was followed by the sexy, now man that was Jesse Strachenburch. It felt weird knowing his surname too.  

Those deep sea blue pools he had for eyes held more meaning and the easy run through your fingers beach blonde hair was now darker shorter and messier. His face aged into someone more handsome, his body more built, bigger and much taller than I remembered. That poster Grey had showed me didn't do Jesse any justice. 

I couldn't help myself. "If I said that you are one sexy looking guy, is that inappropriate right now?" 

Even his laugh was out of this world sexy. "It might be a little but spin around for me, you've grown some too Eden Lodge." 

I twirled around for him to check me out.  

"Definitely my kinda girl..." He purred. I blushed real hard. 

We walked together having collected flyers and walked the opposite way to Sarah and Joseph. It was hard for me to be around them. 

"So you can cut the crap. I know you know." I sighed. 

"So what if I do?" 

"I'm just saying you don't have to act like it didn't happen. You're living with Eli now, he obviously told you." 

Jesse, oh sexy Jesse, ran a hand through his hair. "Bindi told me. About a month after you left we were waiting for Eli to stop snogging Raine and she just blurted it out. She explained everything from the accident to when you left..." I kept quiet. "It's not going to change anything Eden. I know Eli. I told you that day by the car when you collapsed. I know what that idiot's like." 

We both fell silent hanging up flyers, asking people if they had seen Bindi. 

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